1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing line for mainly manufacturing multi-layered printed circuit boards and, more particularly, to a manufacturing line for laminating an insulating layer and a conductor layer on a copper-clad laminate to complete the multi-layered printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, the method of manufacturing multi-layered printed circuit boards has been generally employed in which an insulating layer and a conductor layer are alternately laminated on a copper-clad board repeatedly depending on the design of the printed circuit board.
The manufacturing method involves repeating steps of polishing a copper foil on the copper-clad board, forming a resist layer, exposing the resist layer to light, and patterning the copper foil by etching treatment. Accordingly, a trial has been made in which some of these steps are continuously carried out (as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Examined (Kokoku) Patent Publication No. Hei 4(1992)-3119).
In recent years, there has been an increasing need for various kinds of multi-layered printed circuit boards. In order to cope with this, it seems preferable, in view of the manufacturing efficiency, to construct a single manufacturing line in which the processing sections performing each of the steps are arranged continuously.
However, when all the processing sections are arranged in the form of a single manufacturing line, a problem occurs such that, since the same kind of processing sections (for example, exposure processing sections or etching processing sections) dot in the line, equipments incidental to the processing sections (for example, a clean room, a darkroom, a drainage equipment, and the like) must be individually prepared, rendering the incidental equipments complicated.